User blog:Joeaikman/Wiki: Apocalypse - Chapter 23 - The New Guys
Kung walks into a dark room, and finds Justin, Felco, Cam, Killer, Mind and Eyes already there. Justin is pacing at the head of the table. The rest of them are seated. JUstin: Fucking finally, man. Where have you been? Kung: I went after the runaways, and shot one of them on the wall. He fell over the edge. I think he’s dead. Felco: You think? Did you check? Kung: Well no, but- Cam: But what? It would have taken you a matter of seconds to check. Kung: You were the one who called me back urgently. I came as quickly as I could. Cam rolls his yes and Felco shakes his head. Justin: Just sit down. This is a fucking disaster. How many have we lost? Six? Seven? Mind: Eight, sir. Plus Tenton is dead. The prisoner has gone, then there is Neil and his son. Felco: How many people does that even leave us. Mind: That aren’t currently here? Four. Three guards and the teacher. She’s pretty useless. Eyes: This place is dead. With Nial gone… Killer: Why don’t we just return to the Community? We could clear it up. Justin: No. I want them dead. I want them hunted. Eyes, Killer, I want you after them. Track them and find them for me. Neil I don’t care about, but the others… I want them found. Eyes: Yes, sir. Killer: We’re on it. The two of them leave. Kung looks uncomfortable. Justin: Mind, I want you to check their houses. See if you can find anything that tells us where they might run. Mind: I’ll get on it right away, sir. He leaves, which means just Justin, Felco, Cam and Kung are in the room. Justin: We need to make sure that the people who are still here stay here. We can’t have them leaving. You understand. Kung, look after the guards. Felco, you’re on the teacher. Cam: And me? Justin: You’re cleaning out the cells. I can’t believe you let that one-handed fucker get away. Cam scowls, and then Kung leans forward. Kung: Sir, I think I know where they might be heading. - Brandon is leading the group as they walk. Leanne and Jose come behind him, with Jose limping. Dirk follows, his brow covered in sweat, and then Rob. Gabriel and Joel take up the rear. Gabriel has his gun out, whilst Joel looks despondent. Jose: Not much further, guys. Leanne: Has anyone seen Davis and Tommy? Just then, the two kids burst onto the path from the bushes to the side of them. A zombie follows them out, and Gabriel shoots it down. Rob: You’re getting pretty good with that thing. Gabriel: Thanks. Dirk grabs hold of Davis, who tries to wrestle away from him, but fails. Dirk: What did I say, Davis? What did I say? Davis: Don’t run too far away. I know, Dad, but- Dirk: But what? But what if that thing had got you? That’s the only but that matters. You stay with the rest of the group from now on. That goes for you too, Tommy. Tommy: Yes, sir… Leanne: I’m glad you both got back. Jose: Yeah. Rob: we gonna carry on walking, or not? My arm aches… Brandon: Yeah. I agree with Rob. The group starts to walk again. A few minutes pass, and then the farm looms up over them. They stop and look at it. Dirk puts his arm around Davis’ shoulder. Dirk: Home. - Tigar walks into a large public room, followed in by Morty, Sam and Elvis, who pulls on an apron and steps behind the bar. Tigar, Sam and Morty sit at the bar, whilst Elvis fetches some glasses and drinks. Morty: So like, what is the deal with those robed guys? Tigar: Oh, they are the Four Stars. They dress like that all the time. You get used to it after a while. Sort of. Morty: But why?? Tigar: I don’t know. They were already doing it when I got here. That was only a couple of months ago. One of the old rangers found me and brought me here. He went missing. Elvis: That happens a lot. People going missing, I mean. We don’t find new people very often. Sam: That is why your new group is so important. New people means that we won’t be as overworked. There’s too many jobs for too few of us at the moment. The Four Stars don’t do much themselves. The door opens again, and Dave steps inside. Dave: I heard what you said, Sam Tory. You’re wrong. They do everything for us. Sam: Piss off, Dave. Nobody asked you. Dave: You shouldn’t criticise our benevolent protectors then. They keep us safe, which is more than any of you do. Sam: Did I stutter, Dave? Tigar: Dude, calm down. You know he won’t listen to you. He only properly listens to them. Elvis: Do you want a drink, Dave? Dave: Of course not. Now is not the time for drinking. It is the time to get our jobs done. Elvis: Technically this is one of my jobs… Morty: Look, man. None of these guys want you here. Maybe you should just leave. Dave glares at them, and then exits. Morty turns back to Tigar. Morty: What’s his deal? Tigar: We aren’t really sure. He’s been here longer than anyone, though. He’s fiercely loyal to the Four Stars. Him and Sam don’t exactly get along. Morty: So I can see.... - Joel is sat at the table in the farm’s kitchen. He is slumped in his chair, with a glass of water stood in front of him. He runs his finger around the ring of it. Jose and Brandon walk in, and look at Joel. Jose: We need to do something. Brandon: He hasn’t been the same since we told him about Clyde. I thought he’d be upset. I didn’t think it would be like this. Jose: He talked about clyde every time he stayed with us. I think he really did love him. Joel looks up at them, and they visibly realise that he can hear them. Joel: He… He loved me… He trusted me to keep him safe, and I let him down… I betrayed him… Brandon: Neither of us could have saved him, Joel. Justin- Joel: Justin was the murder weapon, but my neglect was what killed him. Jose: I don’t think that’s true. Joel: It is. Brandon: Listen, Joel. We couldn’t have saved him. It was- Joel: There was someone else, Brandon. I- I did love Clyde, but- But I fell for someone else. I was disloyal and wasn’t there to tell him the truth. He died not knowing the truth. - Davis and Tommy are stood outside a room on the upstairs landing. The room has a picture of a butterfly on it, and Davis’ name. It is her room. Tommy: Can we go in? Davis: I don’t know… I’ve never had a boy in my room before. Tommy: Oh… Davis: Okay… But don’t tell my dad. Tommy: I won’t. Davis opens the door, and the two of them step in. The room is painted blue, and is decorated with a number of non-girly things. She walks in and sits down on the bed. Tommy goes to the window. Tommy: Wow… This is not what I had expected. Davis: In what way? Tommy: The butterfly… I thought maybe your room would be more pink. Davis: Dad put it there when I was younger. He thought that it might help me be more of a girl. It didn’t. He gave up on doing that. Tommy: You are a girl, though. Davis: And you’re a boy. Tommy: I’m also your friend. Your- Davis: Boyfriend. Is that what you want me to say? Tommy: Yes. I do. Davis: Fine. I guess you are. I guess. The two are silent for a few seconds, and then Tommy sits down beside Davis. He tries to put his arm around her. Tommy: Can we- Can we ki- The door opens then, and Leanne walks in. She is holding a mug of a hot drink. She looks surprised to see Tommy. Leanne: Oh… Tommy… I thought you were alone in here, Davis. I brought you a drink. Davis: Thanks, Leanne. Davis gets up and goes over to Leanne, and takes the mug, whilst Tommy stares resentfully out of the window. - Judith and Jordan are walking together, with Sam leading them. They are going on a tour of the facility, and Sam is pointing out anything that may be of interest to them. Sam: Over there is where most of us sleep. The Four Stars sleep separately, of course. Over there is the rec room and activity centre. He was pointing to what looked to be an abandoned tennis and basketball court merged into one entity. It looked sad. Sam: It’s more impressive when people are playing on it… Jordan: Do you get many people on it? Sam: We used to, when there was more of us here, but lots of our ranging parties have been vanishing recently… I probably shouldnt’ve told you about that.... Judith: Ranging parties are like your version of supply runs, right? Maybe they got taken out by the same cunts who got my husband. Sam: That seems… Unlikely. Anyways, I’m the community activities organiser. If you’re interested in joining anything. Judith and Jordan look at each other. Judith shrugs. Jordan: Sure. Why not. What you got? Sam: Really?? Erm… Basketball… Soccer… We have some board games that we took from a house once. Jordan: Sounds good! Judith pulls Jordan to the side when Sam starts talking again. Judith: what are you doing? I don’t want to spend more time than necessary with these people. Jordan: We are here for the long run, Judith. We need to settle in. Judith: What happened to wanting to find Gabriel? Jordan: Obviously I still do, but there ain’t nothing that I can do for him now, is there? We have to accept that. It’s up to him now. - Gabriel is walking along a dark corridor. He pushes open a door, and moves to flick the lightswitch. Nothing happens, so instead he pulls open the curtains, and light filters in, revealing an altar, and some religious paraphernalia. Gabriel: Sweet. I knew Dirk was a religious man, but- Dirk: But what? Gabriel looks up, and finds Dirk stood in the doorway. There is a smile on his face. Dirk: We went to church every sunday. Me, my wife, and Davis. Jose too, if he was with us. This was just for if I had any prayers needed answering. I had plenty. Never got much of an answer, though. Gabriel: I find that is the way with our Lord. He works in strange ways, but whenever I prayer I never get a response, but then he always shows me the way out. He helped me find my mum and Morty. He helped us to the Drawer, and he helped me to here when I needed to leave. I know he will be watching over my family, too. Dirk: We can but only hope. You’re a good man, Gabriel. I’m sorry if I never told you that. I don’t blame you for what you did at the church. Gabriel: I blame myself. Jasper and Clyde- Dirk: Were killed by that madman. Ain’t nothing you could do to save them. You should know that. We got out. That is all that matters. I know that might sound callous, but it’s true. I feel for Joel, I really do, but people die. We can only hope to avenge them some day. We live our lives in remembrance to them. Gabriel: You’re good with words. You should have been a priest. Dirk laughs, and nods to that. Dirk: I thought about it, but it wouldn’t have worked. My father trained me to run this place, as his father had trained him. Couldn’t let the family line down. Then I met Davis’ mother, and I never looked back. Gabriel: You loved her? Dirk: I truly did. Lots of people talked, as people have a want to do. I was twenty years older than her, but we were in love. Losing her was the hardest thing that has ever happened to me. Gabriel: I’m sorry. Dirk: Don’t be. She’s in a better place now. The two of them look to the altar, and Dirk smiles wryly. Dirk: The Lord is testing us. I’ll be with her again someday. I know it. - Morty and Dev are sat in chairs in a dank, dark office, lit by a candle on the desk. A door creaks, and Tim enters, sitting himself down opposite them. There is a thin smile on his face, but he still looks pale and cunning. Tim: I’m glad you came so promptly. You have my thanks. Morty: Not like we have much else to do around here. Tim: That will, of course, change. You will all be given jobs eventually, once the screening process is finished. Morty: Screening process? Tim: Well yes. We can’t just let anyone join our society now, can we? We don’t know how mad you might be. Tim licks his lips and turns his eyes on Dev, who looks uncomfortable. Morty: I see what this is about. You recognise Dev from when he was here before. He’s changed. Tim: Really? That is strange. In my experience change in humans is almost as rare as in a leopard’s spots. Dev: I was never the one you turned away. It was Dennis that you thought was mad. He was. I saw that. Tim: And yet you did nothing about it. Morty: You’re wrong. He lead us to Dennis’ camp. He shot Dennis in the head when we told him too. Tim shrugs, Tim: You might be more forgiving- Morty: I trust Dev. I’m willing to stake my own name that he is to be trusted. Tim smiles widely. Tim: Very well, Mr Orl. I will take that. Dev will be allowed to stay, but any indiscretions and both of you will be punished. You may both leave. - The sun starts to set, and Joel is sat on the stairs of the porch to the house. Brandon walks out, and sits down next to him. The two stay in silence for a few second, watching the sun set. Brandon: It’s better out here than it was in the Drawer. We can talk safely, without fear. Do you wanna talk? Joel: No… Brandon: You sure? Joel: No… Look, Brandon, I did really love Clyde once… We… We just weren’t right for each other. Then I met someone who I just fell for. I didn’t plan on it. Brandon: I understand. Joel: Do you? Have you ever loved anyone? Have you ever fallen for someone just by getting to know them? Brandon: I think so, but I’m not sure. Joel: Then you don’t know. You have to be sure. That’s what love is. It’s about being sure that you love them. You don’t even need to think about it. You just know. Brandon: I’ve never even kissed anyone before. I’m not sure how I could be expected to know for sure without that. Joel: Maybe you’re right. Maybe you need to kiss someone. Joel leans across, and him and Brandon kiss, before Joel pulls away. Brandon has his eyes closed, and Joel looks at him, looking sad. Joel: I’m sorry. He gets up and slips away, so when Brandon opens his eyes he finds him gone. - Tim steps into a dark room, where he finds Alexa, Dexter and Regit waiting for him, dressed in their robes. Tim pulls his hood up, as Dexter and Regit have theirs. Only Alexa has her hood down. Alexa: Welcome, Brother Love. Did you meet with the newcomers? Tim: I did, Sister Ratava. The madman’s servant and the leader. Alexa: And what did you think of them? Tim: They were both lean and strong. They may be useful assets. The leader is fiercely loyal to his friends. Dexter: Loyalty can be a dangerous trait if untempered. Alexa: Indeed. We must be wary around these strangers. Regit: You intend for them to stay? Alexa: we are running low on bodies, Brother Ofur. We can hardly afford to be picky with who we allow in. Regit: They are too strong willed. We cannot- He is stopped when Alexa raises a finger to signal that she desires silence. Alexa: I have already considered the possibilities, Brother. We have no choice here. These people saved Tigar. They will have his affection, and the affection of the others. Tim: I agree with our sister. We cannot allow them time to conspire against us, however. Brother Ofur is right there. Alexa: As you say. Brother Dulci, I will assign you to keep an eye on these strangers. Dexter bows his head to Alexa. Dexter: It would be my honour, Sister. Alexa: excellent. Then our meeting is adjourned, I think. The three men bow their heads to Alexa, before disappearing into the darkness. She walks to a brazier, and looks down into it, as if expecting it to answer all her questions. Alexa: let us all hope that I am right. Category:Blog posts